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A new photo posted to Facebook shows Travis Williams, 18, is still recovering from multiple injuries following a single-vehicle accident on Wednesday that killed an Effingham County High School senior.

Christian Cowan, 18, of Rincon, was pronounced dead at the scene of the wreck, Effingham County Sheriff’s Office spokesman David Ehsanipoor said.

Autopsy results released Thursday revealed that Cowan’s death was due to drowning.

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It was great news that SMN published a photo that also had an accompaning less than 50 word story. To heck with crime or worthwhile reporting, we needed that photo! That was something all of Savannah and surrounding communities were waiting to see. Now I see why SMN wanted to charge!

The people of Effingham County did need to see that photo. We are all grieving the loss of another ECHS student. This photo gives us a bit of relief to know that Travis was spared and is still alive and doing well. Sorry it wasn't what you wanted to see or read about but many others did. If you didn't want to see it then don't look at it.

While I don't think there's anything wrong with Williams posting a photo of his injuries, I think it's a bit inappropriate and insensitive for his 2 companions to be included while smiling for the camera. There is another family that I would imagine is devastated and have nothing to be smiling about.

I never once complained on the accident or the lone survivor. In fact, I'm looking for the follow up story. I want to know what caused the accident, whether seat belts were not required or not functionable as well as numerous other things. Judging by the photos published by SMN, the car was not an antique without belts.I'm quite familiar with that location, and would never suspect speeding caused that accident. Maybe it was caused by a curve on that terrible highway. An investigation should answer our questions, since we don't want to lose anymore ECHS students. We, the readers have not been told of the cause and await that information. It must have been a tire malfunction.I also agree that we cannot only see a photo only on SMN, but on Facebook as well.

My condolences to the family and many friends of Mr. Cowan. I'm quite sure neither teen attributed to his way too early demise by horseplay. It would surely have to mechanical.

It was in a curve and I do believe that seatbelts were not being worn. I appreciate your response, as your first comment just seemed ill spirited to me. I have a daughter at ECHS and all the students are devastated by the loss of Christian, but as well they are relieved that they didn't lose Travis. Hopefully we get all the answers in the end, just give the investigators time to do their job.

This post was simply meant to serve as a quick update (not a full story) on Travis Williams' current condition. But at the end of the post, we've provided a link to our latest story which contains new details about the accident. It should help in answering some of your questions.

Showing a picture of the "survivor" of the crash is appropriate in my book. However, the two young ladies boasting giant smiles smacks of a "Party on Attitude" which under the circumstances is wrong. That "Party on Attitude" is enhanced by including in the picture his many friends. A single shot with just the young man would have been much more in line. The festive appearance in the photo insults the memory of the other young man that died. Remember, the Effingham LEO still doesn't know which kid was driving. The one that appears to be having a "GREAT TIME" with his gals just might have been the driver that caused the wreck killing a young man.

Obviously his friends that choose smile from ear to ear in the photo have no respect for the young man that died

What is most inappropriate is the lack of driver's education in Georgia's high schools. There have been too many young lives lost recently. In their memories, let's all call for driver's education to be taught in our schools.

You make a good point. Of course I am an old goat here but I had to complete driver's ed back in the day to get my license. Driver's Ed was provided by my high school. Hmmmmmm, getting old here cuz I had forgotten about having to take that class. Maybe that is something the SMN could champion. If i recall the local new car dealer provided the car the students learned to drive on. That would be a great way to advertise the dealership and be a tax write-off. The cars can be returned at the end of the school year to the dealership to be sold. New ones issued in the fall. It would take the power of the press to get your idea in motion. I hope you will run with it. I believe the car dealers in Savannah would jump at the chance to get free positive press by getting on board and gaining a reputation for trying to save the lives of the youth.

I've been out of law enforcement for a little while now, but didn't "Joshua's Law" (State of Ga) contain something about driver's education in public schools, but just didn't provide funding for it? There' still a good, short program that young, new drivers and their parents can take that's free of charge. It's the Georgia PRIDE program put on by the Georgia Traffic Injury Prevention Institute (GTIPI) out of Conyers. I'm not sure of their web page, but googling "Georgia PRIDE" should get you there.

You can put 10 pairs of seat belts in an auto, but you cannot say if 1 pair will be used. You can even say the auto can't be started when each seat establishes there is weight there. Naysayers will only buckle belts behind themselves. You can not force people to buckle up, but accidents most often will show the guilty parties. I rest my case.

I strongly agree with you on the lack of driver's education in this state. I graduated from a very small high school in Ohio with only 60 kids in my class. Our school managed to find the funding for the afterschool class taught by one of the faculty. It was required in the State of Ohio that this class be taken and passed before you could get your license. You can't depend on parents to take their children to a free class if it is not required for them to get their license. When you see so many parents driving down I-95 and I-16 and even HWY 21 through Rincon talking on phones, texting, applying make-up, and even reading, how do you expect these people to teach their kids how to drive appropriately?? Makes no sense to me. This state is full of tailgaters, high speeders, and just people oblivious to common and appropriate driving behavior.